Vikings keep Trojans off balance for easy victory
By RYAN RICHTER
Sports writer
To find out the last time Hillsboro was able to defeat a Smoky Valley Viking team on the gridiron, you have to go back to 1999.
Throughout the nine-year tenure of the Mid-Central Activities Association, the Vikings have been one of Hillsboro's toughest challenges.
With the Trojans aiming at putting eight years worth of shortcomings behind them Friday night in Hillsboro, Smoky Valley decided not to play along en route to a 34-21 victory.
Slowing down Hillsboro's tandem of Spencer Brown and Jake Yoder has to be at the top of the list for any opponent hoping to get the upper hand on the Trojans. The Vikings' (5-1, 4-1 MCAA) game plan worked however, holding the duo to a combined 141 yards rushing, and Hillsboro as a team to 232 yards of total offense.
Eric Hawk's 246 yards rushing and three touchdowns alone out-gained Hillsboro's (3-3, 1-3 MCAA) entire attack.
"We were out of synch the entire game," Trojan coach Len Coryea said. "They were bigger than we were, and they were a lot better than what I'd thought they'd be. We gave them a short field, too."
In four years as the Hillsboro head coach, the Vikings and the Wichita Collegiate Spartans are the two teams Coryea has yet to defeat.
The Vikings jumped out to 14-0 lead midway through the first half, scoring on their opening drive and cashing in on a Hillsboro fumble inside the Trojan 20.
HHS already had surrendered three unanswered touchdowns before Brown aired it out to Yoder for the Trojans' best play of the game: a 61-yard bomb to cut the deficit to 22-7 by halftime.
When Yoder's most success comes receiving — two passes for a game-high 70 yards — Hillsboro's offense is off its game. The Vikings shut him down running, limiting him to a season-low 43 yards from 11 carries.
Brown carried 11 times for a team-high 98 yards, while completing a sub-par five passes in 16 attempts for 70 yards and an interception.
The Vikings broke the game open in the third quarter, scoring on back-to-back drives with the help of great field position.
Marion County bragging rights will be on the line at 7 p.m. Friday with the Trojans making the short drive east to take on the dangerous Marion Warriors.
"This is the big one," Coryea said of the showdown with Marion. "Throw the record book out the window."
